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New vertical communities popping up all over the place. Toronto is still developing its personality. What makes Toronto a special place to live in and visit in your opinion? Finding mentors, learning from successes and failures, while absorbing the high frequency energy of other entrepreneurs around you.” However, the great people you meet along the way - that's key. Also, there is the test of balancing the intrinsic and extrinsic value of brand experience. “Probably not as challenging as running a resto but we're both in the business of serving people.
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What is it like to run a travel/tour related business in Toronto? I want every customer who uses the Urban Expeditions experience to feel a sense of confidence and connection to the cities they explore.” You see new people and places and, before you know it, the unintended circumstance becomes the natural creation of experiential adventurous spirit andĬonfidence. Something amazing grows out of the experiences your folks provide. My parents are awesome and hard working immigrant folks who always wanted their kids to have opportunity. In short, and compared to other nearby cities like Chicago, New York, Ottawa, Kingston or Montreal that may have been established perhaps 150 years earlier, I think that Toronto is a very young urban centre with incredible physical and cultural diversity. How did growing up in Toronto influence the way you help clients navigate the city today? Concurrently, I worked for UofT (University of Toronto) and Ryerson University as a program instructor.’ After Barbados, I started Urban Expeditions as an exercise to improve upon all the issues I identified in my previous work experience.
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I'm not sure that I acquired any key skills that I didn't previously possess but I certainly had the opportunity to practice a ton of stuff. Yet, a business has the ability to create its own personality or brand largely based on the cultural perceptions of their respective leadership. I spent a few years working for Outward Bound, and the Canadian and US Red Cross Societies before starting my first business in the Caribbean the “Barbados Outdoor Education Centre.” These endeavors and experiences taught me that businesses, like people, are imperfect. “I came out of university with a bachelors in science before training as a paramedic. What were you doing as a profession prior to Urban Expeditions, and how have those skills you acquired in that profession been applied (if at all) to your current business? A close secondary motivation is my desire to change how people perceive and access the world around them.” For example, I'm not a natural networker or salesperson I usually keep to myself. Primarily, I wanted an exciting career that forced me to do the things that my personality typically avoids. What motivated you to start Urban Expeditions? “Urban Expeditions is a travel related enterprise engaged in designing private city tours and experiential games that help business, leisure and local travelers build stronger cultural connections to the city.” How would you describe the service provided by Urban Expeditions? After ordering a drink for myself, we got to talking about how he built his business. Was meeting on one of the coolest streets in the city, in a small but scrappy independent franchise purely coincidental? Maybe, but it’s not difficult to see a possible desire on his part to actually highlight his expertise, even in just arranging a meeting place. The restaurant, located on the hip indie spirited “Ossington Strip”, is one of three such locations in the city. BQM Burger, which is short for Beer & Quality Meats, is where I found him cradling a pint glass among dozens of gamers. Please meet me at BQM between 3:30 and 5pm.”Īs instructed, I meet Peter at BQM at a time halfway between “passionate answers” and “exciting shit” just to be sure I was getting the best of both worlds. If you want to hear some authentic exciting shit, come late. If you want passionate answers, take your time. If you want the clear answers meet me early. “I will be consuming beer after the event.